The New Zealand Seniors Championship 2014 was held in Auckland at the start of April. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) had changed the rules as to who qualifies as a 'senior' since the previous championship. The age limit was lowered from 60 to 50 for both men and women, with a new category 'veteran' for those aged over 65. This meant the event had a few more eligible players and a strong field of 19 players contested the seven rounds.
The tournament and title of Seniors Champion was won convincing by FM Michael Steadman of Auckland, who went through undefeated on 6/7. Starting as third seed, he scored victories over the top two seeds IM Paul Garbett (Auckland) and FM Bob Smith (Mt Maunganui). These two finished second and third respectively on scores of 5½ and 5 points. The veterans title was shared between Bob Gibbons, Richard Taylor and Anthony Booth, all of Auckland who tied on 4 points.
Today’s exciting game from the fifth round decided the final result. Steadman is playing with the white pieces against Garbett.
1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+
The rarely played Keres Defence, named after Estonia's greatest player. White's reply is designed to force the exchange of the bishop for White's knight. 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.a3 Bxd2+ 5.Bxd2 d6 6.Qc2 e5
A unique and roughly level position resembling a Bogo-Indian has arisen. 7.e3 O-O 8.Ne2 Re8 9.O-O-O!? Qe7
True to form, Steadman castles on opposite sides intending a sharp assault on the black king. Here Black may have been able to take advantage of the airy white king position with the pawn sacrifice 9... b5!? 10. cxb5 a6 rapidly opening lines on the queenside. 10.f3 c5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.g4!
No time to lose! 12... e4 13.g5 Nfd7 14.f4 Nb6?!
Blocking the b-pawn, which will be needed to prize open the queenside. 14... Nf8 keeping the knight for defence or 14... b5!? immediately were good alternatives. 15.Ng3
Missing a chance to severely cramp his opponent by 15. h3!, when the black bishop can't find good squares. 15... Bg4 16.Re1 Nc8 17.h3 Bd7?!
Better than this retreat was 17... Bf3! defending e4, h5 and generally interfering with the white rooks coordination. White's unopposed dark squared bishop would ensure an advantage nevertheless. It now comes to the long diagonal more quickly and targets g7. 18.Bc3 Nd6 19.Nh5 Nf5 20.h4 Nc6 21.Bh3?!
Allowing a strong defensive sacrifice, which is Black's only chance against the building pressure. Most incisive was 21. Bg2! with an unstoppable sacrifice on g7. E.g. 21... Rac8 22. Bxg7!! Nxg7 23. Nf6+ Kh8 (23... Kf8 24. Nxh7+ Kg8 25. Nf6+ Kf8 26. h5! and the h-pawn advance wins easily) 24. Bxe4 when Black's best defence against the threat of 25. Bxc6 is 24... Qxe4! 25. Nxe4 Bf5 picking up a third piece for the queen and two pawns, though White should win comfortably. 21... Nfd4! 22. exd4 cxd4 23.Bd2
Keeping the extra piece for now, but returning it immediately by 23. f5! dxc3 24. Qxc3 Qe5 25. Nxg7! Qxc3+ 26. bxc3 Kxg7 27. f6+ Kg6 28. Bxd7 leads to a clear advantage. 23... Bxh3 24.Rxh3 Qe6 25.Rb3 Rad8?
Black had to trap the bishop and retain his passed e-pawn by 25... e3! 26. Bxe3 dxe3 27 f5 Qe5! when White has little better than 28. Rbxe3 Qxe3+ 29. Rxe3 Rxe3 with roughly level material and chances. 26.Kb1 Qg4 27.Rxe4!
White rejuvenates his attack by giving back the knight for the e-pawn. 27... Qxh5 28. Rxe8+ Rxe8 29.Rxb7 Qf3 30.Rb3 Qh5 31.Ka2 Qxh4 32.Qf5 Qh1 33.Qd5 Qe4
Or 33... Qxd5 34 cxd5 and the passed pawn is too strong. E.g. 34... Ne7 35. d6 Nc6 36. d7 Rd8 37. Rb7 Kf8 38. Rc7 Ne7 39. Bb4 and wins. After some time-trouble shuffling the rook finds its way back to the seventh rank and the Black position crumbles. 34.Rb7! Qe6 35.Rc7 Nd8 36.Qxd4 a6?
A final blunder, but after 36...Nc6 37. Qd5 White collects the a-pawn with a won ending. 37.Bc3 Qg6 38.Rc8 h5 39.gxh6 Qxh6 40.Rxd8 Resigns
Seniors title goes to Steadman
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
The New Zealand Seniors Championship 2014 was held in Auckland at the start of April. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) had changed the rules as to who qualifies as a 'senior' since the previous championship. The age limit was lowered from 60 to 50 for both men and women, with a new category 'veteran' for those aged over 65. This meant the event had a few more eligible players and a strong field of 19 players contested the seven rounds.
The tournament and title of Seniors Champion was won convincing by FM Michael Steadman of Auckland, who went through undefeated on 6/7. Starting as third seed, he scored victories over the top two seeds IM Paul Garbett (Auckland) and FM Bob Smith (Mt Maunganui). These two finished second and third respectively on scores of 5½ and 5 points. The veterans title was shared between Bob Gibbons, Richard Taylor and Anthony Booth, all of Auckland who tied on 4 points.
Today’s exciting game from the fifth round decided the final result. Steadman is playing with the white pieces against Garbett.
1.d4 e6
2.c4 Bb4+
The rarely played Keres Defence, named after Estonia's greatest player. White's reply is designed to force the exchange of the bishop for White's knight.
3.Nd2 Nf6
4.a3 Bxd2+
5.Bxd2 d6
6.Qc2 e5
A unique and roughly level position resembling a Bogo-Indian has arisen.
7.e3 O-O
8.Ne2 Re8
9.O-O-O!? Qe7
True to form, Steadman castles on opposite sides intending a sharp assault on the black king. Here Black may have been able to take advantage of the airy white king position with the pawn sacrifice 9... b5!? 10. cxb5 a6 rapidly opening lines on the queenside.
10.f3 c5
11.dxe5 dxe5
12.g4!
No time to lose!
12... e4
13.g5 Nfd7
14.f4 Nb6?!
Blocking the b-pawn, which will be needed to prize open the queenside. 14... Nf8 keeping the knight for defence or 14... b5!? immediately were good alternatives.
15.Ng3
Missing a chance to severely cramp his opponent by 15. h3!, when the black bishop can't find good squares.
15... Bg4
16.Re1 Nc8
17.h3 Bd7?!
Better than this retreat was 17... Bf3! defending e4, h5 and generally interfering with the white rooks coordination. White's unopposed dark squared bishop would ensure an advantage nevertheless. It now comes to the long diagonal more quickly and targets g7.
18.Bc3 Nd6
19.Nh5 Nf5
20.h4 Nc6
21.Bh3?!
Allowing a strong defensive sacrifice, which is Black's only chance against the building pressure. Most incisive was 21. Bg2! with an unstoppable sacrifice on g7. E.g. 21... Rac8 22. Bxg7!! Nxg7 23. Nf6+ Kh8 (23... Kf8 24. Nxh7+ Kg8 25. Nf6+ Kf8 26. h5! and the h-pawn advance wins easily) 24. Bxe4 when Black's best defence against the threat of 25. Bxc6 is 24... Qxe4! 25. Nxe4 Bf5 picking up a third piece for the queen and two pawns, though White should win comfortably.
21... Nfd4!
22. exd4 cxd4
23.Bd2
Keeping the extra piece for now, but returning it immediately by 23. f5! dxc3 24. Qxc3 Qe5 25. Nxg7! Qxc3+ 26. bxc3 Kxg7 27. f6+ Kg6 28. Bxd7 leads to a clear advantage.
23... Bxh3
24.Rxh3 Qe6
25.Rb3 Rad8?
Black had to trap the bishop and retain his passed e-pawn by 25... e3! 26. Bxe3 dxe3 27 f5 Qe5! when White has little better than 28. Rbxe3 Qxe3+ 29. Rxe3 Rxe3 with roughly level material and chances.
26.Kb1 Qg4
27.Rxe4!
White rejuvenates his attack by giving back the knight for the e-pawn.
27... Qxh5
28. Rxe8+ Rxe8
29.Rxb7 Qf3
30.Rb3 Qh5
31.Ka2 Qxh4
32.Qf5 Qh1
33.Qd5 Qe4
Or 33... Qxd5 34 cxd5 and the passed pawn is too strong. E.g. 34... Ne7 35. d6 Nc6 36. d7 Rd8 37. Rb7 Kf8 38. Rc7 Ne7 39. Bb4 and wins. After some time-trouble shuffling the rook finds its way back to the seventh rank and the Black position crumbles.
34.Rb7! Qe6
35.Rc7 Nd8
36.Qxd4 a6?
A final blunder, but after 36...Nc6 37. Qd5 White collects the a-pawn with a won ending.
37.Bc3 Qg6
38.Rc8 h5
39.gxh6 Qxh6
40.Rxd8 Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1. Qb3!! Nf6 (1... Qxb3 2. Rxe8+ Qg8 3. Rxg8#; 1... Rxe7 2. Qg8#; 1... gxh6 2. Qf7 Rxe7 (2... Nf6 3. Qg7#) 3. Qf8#) 2. Qg8+! Nxg8 (or 2... Rxg8) 3. Nf7#.